‘The sickest film ever made’ gets rare UK release

Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom was banned in several countries upon its release A controversial film banned in several countries that is often hailed as the most disturbing of all time is getting a rare UK release. Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom, adapted from the Marquis de Sade’s novel The 120 Days of Sodom, follows a group of libertines in fascist Italy who capture a group of teenagers and torture them. It was Pasolini’s final film, released in 1975, three weeks after he was brutally murdered. The movie has become notorious for its graphic and disturbing content, often being hailed by critics and film fans alike as ‘the sickest film ever made.’ Salo has faced a troubled release history, being banned in several countries across the world due to its graphic depictions of rape, torture, and murder. In 1976, the film’s producer Alberto Grimaldi, even faced obscenity charges in court. Salo tells the story of a group of wealthy Italian fascists who torture a group of teenagers in an isolated villa In the UK, Salo was rejected by the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC) in 1976. It was first screened in an uncut form a year later at the Old Compton Street Cinema Club in Soho London, without certification from the BBFC, leading to the premises being raided by police days later. It wasn’t until 2000 that Salo was finally passed for theatrical and video distribution in the UK. And now, Pasolini’s controversial flick is being restored and getting a 4k release from the British Film Institute (BFI). Set to be released on October 26, it contains several extras for fans of the extreme, including behind-the-scenes featurettes, a documentary about Pasolini, and an audio commentary by film critic Kat Ellinger. A description reads: ‘Banned, censored and reviled the world over since its release, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s final and most controversial masterpiece is presented here in a new 4K restoration. ‘The content and imagery of Salo is extreme: it retains the power to shock, repel and distress. But it remains a cinematic milestone: culturally significant, politically vital and visually stunning. ‘Based on a novel by the Marquis de Sade – and taking as its setting the miniature fascist republic which Mussolini established in Italy – this is a film about power, corruption, and the degradation of the human body. ‘It is a devastating, angry cry from one of the most controversial auteurs in cinema history.’ A screening of the film in London in 1977 was raided by the Metropolitan Police More gruesome films to watch right now In a statement, Ben Stoddart of BFI explained the importance of the film and why it still remains so shocking to this day. ‘In the decades since it was made, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salo, or The 120 Days of Sodom has remained a deeply controversial and divisive film,’ he began. ‘Refused a certificate in 1976 on the grounds of gross indecency and not released uncut in the UK until the BFI’s VHS release in 2001, Salo has been banned, censored, and reviled the world over. ‘Pasolini seeks to confront the ultimate implications of fascism in a series of sexual and moral atrocities, the result of which is a true cinematic milestone: culturally significant, politically vital, and visually stunning. ‘The BFI is releasing Salo with contextualising extras in 4K UHD on 26 October because whilst it’s naturally not a film with broad appeal, it is still a hugely important work. It asks difficult questions about power, corruption, and their resulting cruelty that are no less relevant now.’ Salo is also being screened tomorrow (Saturday) at 8.45pm at the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square, London, for eager film fans who want to see the classic on the big screen. The big Salo debate — 50 years on Despite its notoriety, Salo is often hailed as one of the greatest films ever made More than half a century after its release, Salo still remains one of the most controversial films ever made. Among critics and fans, it sparks debate, mostly surrounding its themes and the gratuitous nature of some of its scene. In fact, during a conversation about the film among my friends, one furiously suggested people ‘should need to take a test’ before speaking about Salo. It starkly divides people who hail it as one of the best films ever made, and others who slam it as ‘graphic for the sake of it.’ Ygraine Hackett-Cantabrana, film critic and host of the Gore Things podcast, said it is ‘one of the most important pieces of art ever produced in cinema.’ She told Metro: ‘Despite the fact its more than 50 years old, this film – which Pier Paolo Pasolini created to depict the evils of fascism, the neo-bourgeoisie of Italy, and the evils that were inflicted on ordinary citizens by those in power such as politicians and the Catholic church – still stands strong as a reflection of the very same problems that face our modern society. ‘How anyone can watch this film and not see a similarity between Pasolini’s characters and their actions, and what is going on with the current rise of the far-right, the sexual abuse committed against children by both the church and “powerful” people such as Epstein and Trump, is beyond me.’ Critics widely applause how director Pier Pablo Pasolini depicted fascism in the film Do you love or hate Salo, or the 150 Days of Sodom? Won't be watching it againCheck She continued: ‘Yes, the film has extremely disturbing and disgusting set pieces, but is this not representative of the fact that fascism and abuse of power is abhorrently disgusting?’ Brooklyn Horror Film Festival programmer Tori Potenza first saw the film this year after being a lifelong movie fan, and thought: ‘It felt like something I needed to work my way up to, considering how people talk about it. ‘It was very intense and difficult, but not in the ways I expected. And ultimately I thought it was an incredible film. ‘I was particularly struck by how relevant it feels right now in our current political climate, especially as someone living in the United States watching fascism worm its way into every day life. ‘The horror of Salo is that it is not a stretch to think something like this is possible. Rich people in power show us time and time again how they disregard human life. And post-Epstein Files its particularly realistic. ‘I can see how this might not be a film for everyone, but if you cannot see the importance and brilliance of the film, especially in its historical context and relevance today, then you are clearly missing the point.’ Jessie, who shares movie content on her Instagram page softxdeath, said: ‘In an era where global fascism continues to rise and the insidious rituals of the world’s elite have been revealed, Salo feels less like an absurdist, sadistic nightmare, and more like a documentary piece exposing us to the hedonistic practices of those in power. The BFI is set to release the notorious film on 4k UHD with several additional features ‘While anti-fascist media has its own controversies, there is inherent value in preserving the truth of these stories that are continually at risk of being rewritten, or worse, forgotten.’ But not everyone is a fan, with some confessing they found it ‘boring’ and switched the film off before it even finished. Sam Munster, host of the Horror Hyperfixations podcast, couldn’t finish Salo and branded it ‘nonsense.’ She told Metro: ‘Salo just isn’t for me. After so many years of hearing people say how disturbing it was, I finally sat down, excited to be disturbed. ‘I was bored. I love an “arty” film, but good lord, it’s boring. I couldn’t even finish it. ‘I will, eventually, give it a fair go. But my opinion is that it’s an edgelord piece of nonsense that people say is their favourite film so they sound cool.’ Not everyone agrees that Salo is a work of art Scary Zara Mary, a film reviewer, echoed a similar sentiment, telling us: ‘I watched Salo for the first time recently, going in completely blind and not knowing what to expect. What I found was a film that bored me. ‘Sure, there’s some pretty shocking imagery, and I really regret having eaten immediately before watching, but I found the film pretty “meh” initially.’ However, she admitted: ‘Until I started talking to people about it, and that’s when things got interesting. Learning about the intention behind the film, the meaning, the director; it totally changed my perspective. And now it’s become a film I keep thinking about, and one I’m definitely going to go back to for another watch.’ Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom is released in 4k UHD by the BFI on October 26. 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